Porto and Douro Private Tour from Lisbon

Starting point

Livraria Lello is a bookstore of extraordinary historical and architectural value, located at number 144, Rua das Carmelitas, in the city of Porto, in Portugal. Its origins date back to 1881, when the brothers José and António Lello opened an establishment in Rua do Almada, in Porto, dedicated to the trade and publication of books. In 1894 they acquired Livraria Chardron, founded in 1869 by French publisher Ernesto Chardron, responsible for publishing a large part of Camilo Castelo Branco's work. Inaugurated in 1906, the building boasts a neo-Gothic-style façade, standing out from the surrounding urban landscape. Inside, shelves and ceilings are copiously crafted, with particular emphasis on the extraordinary staircase leading to the first floor and the large stained glass window that bears the monogram with the motto of the bookshop “Decus in labore”. In 2016, the façade and the stained glass window underwent a careful restoration that brought them back to their original appearance and luminosity.

The centenary Mercado do Bolhão (MB) is the most emblematic market in the city of Porto and one of the most famous in Portugal, classified, in 2006, as a Property of Heritage Interest, and, in 2013, as a Monument of Public Interest. Since May 2018, it has been undergoing restoration and modernization works, for an estimated period of two years. Once completed, they will return to the city one of its most important heritage values, intact in its essence and always as a traditional and public fresh market, as it was born. When it reopens its doors, it will remain faithful to its tradition, with the same faces, sales calls, friendliness and always with excellent products. Until then, the MB can be found at Mercado Temporário do Bolhão, 2 minutes away from the original market.

1879 - Gustave Eiffel presents a project for the construction of a new bridge over the Douro, with only a drawbridge to facilitate navigation; this project was turned down due to growing urban development, which made it necessary to design a bridge with two decks; 1880, November - The projects of the Compagnie de Fives-Lille, Cail & C., Schneider & C., Gustave Eiffel, Lecoq e C., Société de Braine -le-Comte, Société des Batognolles (two projects), Andrew Handyside & C., Société de Construction de Willebroek (two projects), and John Dixon; 1881, January - it is decided that one of the projects proposed by the Société de Willebroek, worth 369,000$000, is the one that offers the best conditions; 1881, 21 November - the work is awarded to the Belgian society Société Willebreck, in Brussels, for the amount of 402 contos, which Théophile Seyrig, disciple of Gustave Eiffel, was administrator

The Clérigos Church is a genuine baroque work from the mid-19th century. XVIII, designed by Nicolau Nasoni, an architect of Italian origin who left his mark on many monuments in Porto and the northern region of Portugal. Nasoni is buried, at his request, in a small chapel. The entire front of the temple shows a very interesting Baroque decoration, which is worth appreciating in detail. The granite and marble interior, lined with baroque carvings, also reveals the mastery of its architect. In the chancel, there is a polychrome altarpiece by Manuel Porto. But the most striking element of this set is the Tower built in granite stone that rises from the western top of the body of the church. Unmistakable ex-libris of the city and extremely slender at its 75m high, the Tower develops in rhythmic sections that end in a crowning baroque decoration. beautiful views of Porto.

The construction of the cathedral began in the 12th century and, throughout history, it has undergone many reconstructions, which is why it has different styles. Most of the cathedral is Baroque, although the structure of the façade and the body of the church are Romanesque, and the cloister and chapel of São João Evangelista are Gothic. Inside, the large columns increase the feeling of narrowness and height of the central nave. The decoration is very sober and the walls are empty, except for the main altar and some chapels in the Baroque style. Access to the cathedral's cloister is from the inside, through a door located on the right side. This cloister belongs to the 14th century and is decorated with tiles that reflect religious scenes. From the Cloister, you can also enter the Casa do Cabido, where the “cathedral treasure” is on display, a collection of objects of religious jewellery.

The Douro is the 2nd largest river in the Iberian Peninsula. It rises in the north of Spain at an altitude of 2080 meters in the province of Soria, on the peaks of the Serra de Urbião (Sierra de Urbión) and travels 850 kilometers to its mouth in Portugal, next to the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. In Spain, it passes along the cities of Soria, Aranda de Duero, Valladolid, Tordesillas and Zamora. In the International Douro, where the river marks the border between Portugal and Spain, it travels 112 kilometers, passing by the city of Miranda do Douro. It enters Portugal in Barca D’Alva, and travels 213 kilometers to its mouth. It passes next to the towns of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Peso da Régua, flowing next to Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. The Douro, more than a river, has since ancient times been a central artery of life in the region, being an essential transport channel for transporting Douro wine and people. But the Douro used to be a dangerous and untamed river where only Rabelo boats could navigate.

Conceived to mark the festive year of 2001, in which the city of Porto was the European Capital of Culture, Casa da Música is the first building built in Portugal exclusively dedicated to Music, whether in the field of presentation and public enjoyment, or in the field of artistic training and creation. The Casa da Música project was defined in 1999, as a result of an international architecture competition that chose the solution presented by Rem Koolhaas - Office for Metropolitan Architecture. Excavations began in 1999, in the space of the former Remise of Porto at Rotunda da Boavista, and the Casa da Música was inaugurated in spring 2005, on the 15th of April.

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